Abstract
Thick TiSiCN and TiAlVSiCN nanocomposite coatings were fabricated by plasma-enhanced magnetron sputtering (PEMS). Characterizations by electron probe microanalyzer (EPMA) and XRD revealed the dependence of films with various precursor flow rates on the constituent composition and structure evolution in coatings. HRTEM images clearly confirmed that a nanocomposite structure existed with grain size below 10 nm. It was believed that nanocrystalline TiC x N 1-x -based phases with B1 structure were embedded in an amorphous SiC y N z matrix, and such phase segregation ameliorated the hardness and H=E ratios. In the scratch and ball-on-disc wear tests, the evidence from crack initiation resistance, friction coefficient, and worn surfaces verified that thick nanocomposites exhibited remarkable tribological resistance. Hybrid anti-wear mechanisms on the basis of mechanical property variation, composition distribution, and microstructure evolution were proposed to elucidate the favorable durability of these thick films. © 2013 The Japan Society of Applied Physics.